Step-by-Step Guide: How to Structure a High-Scoring IB English IO
- Dig deep and think:
- If you don’t have a clear structure, even great ideas can get lost. The IO isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how you present it. A solid step-by-step plan helps you:
- Keep your argument on track so you don’t wander off-topic
- Balance both texts instead of over-analysing one and rushing the other
- Show off your analysis clearly, not in a messy info-dump
- Build a logical flow, which makes your points easier to follow
- Tick the boxes for organisation and development, which directly boosts your marks
- If you don’t have a clear structure, even great ideas can get lost. The IO isn’t just about what you say, it’s about how you present it. A solid step-by-step plan helps you:
Basically, structure makes your thinking look smart, and that’s half the game.
Step 1: Understand the Task
- You are preparing a 10-minute presentation focused on a global issue that is evident in both works.
- For English Literature: Analyze two literary works (one must be a work in translation)
- Work in translation is basically a text that was originally written in a language other than English, but has been translated into English so you can study and analyze it in class
- For Lang & Lit: Analyze one literary text and one non-literary body of work (e.g. advertising, political cartoons, speeches, visual media).
- You will be assessed on how well you analyze, organise your ideas, use language, and engage with the global issue.
- For English Literature: Analyze two literary works (one must be a work in translation)
Hint
- Always refer to the official assessment criteria.
- Your goal is to demonstrate deep understanding of both extracts and whole texts, while maintaining a strong, sustained focus on the global issue.
IO Assessment Criteria
| Criterion | Level 1-2 | Level 3-4 | Level 5-6 | Level 7-8 | Level 9-10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Criterion A: knowledge, understanding and interpretation | The oral shows little knowledge and understanding of the texts. Interpretations are rarely relevant to the global issue and rarely supported by references to the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows some knowledge and understanding of the texts. Interpretations are somewhat relevant to the global issue and sometimes supported by references to the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows adequate knowledge and understanding of texts. Interpretations are generally relevant to the global issue and generally supported by references to the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows good knowledge and understanding of texts. Interpretations are very relevant to the global issue and frequently supported by appropriate references to the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows perceptive knowledge and understanding of the texts. Interpretations are consistently relevant to the global issue and effectively supported by convincing references to the extracts, the work and the body of work. |
| Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation | The oral shows little analysis and evaluation of how the authors present the global issue through authorial choices in the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows some analysis and evaluation of how authors present the global issue through authorial choices in the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows adequate analysis and evaluation of how the authors present the global issue through authorial choices in the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows good analysis and evaluation of how the authors present the global issue through authorial choices in the extracts, the work and the body of work. | The oral shows insightful analysis and evaluation of how authors present the global issue through authorial choices in the extracts, the work and the body of work. |
| Criterion C: Coherence, balance, focus and organisation | The oral shows little coherence, balance, focus and organisation. | The oral shows some coherence, balance, focus and organisation. | The oral shows adequate coherence, balance, focus and organisation. | The oral shows good coherence, balance, focus and organisation. | The oral shows effective coherence, balance, focus and organisation. |
| Criterion D: Language | The student’s use of vocabulary, tone, syntax, style and terminology is rarely accurate, varied and effective. | The student’s use of vocabulary, tone, syntax, style and terminology is sometimes accurate, varied and effective. | The student’s use of vocabulary, tone, syntax, style and terminology is generally accurate, varied and effective. | The student’s use of vocabulary, tone, syntax, style and terminology is frequently accurate, varied and effective. | The student’s use of vocabulary, tone, syntax, style and terminology is convincingly accurate, varied and effective. |
Step 2: Choose a Strong Global Issue
- Be globally relevant (seen across cultures/contexts).
- Have a significant social or personal impact.
- Be clearly traceable in both of your works.
Example
“The silencing of women’s voices in patriarchal societies” could work well for A Thousand Splendid Sunsand A Doll’s House.
Hint
- Make the issue specific but flexible enough to allow a range of techniques and ideas to be explored across both texts.
- Try forming it as a “tension” or “struggle” (e.g. between truth and illusion, or freedom and conformity).
Step 3: Select and Annotate Your Extracts
- Pick one extract from each work (max. 40 lines or equivalent), ensuring:
- It directly connects to the global issue.
- It contains rich literary or stylistic techniques for close analysis.
- It’s positioned at a significant turning point, moment of tension, or character revelation.
Example
- For 1984, you might use the scene where Winston writes “Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two make four”.
- For A Streetcar Named Desire, consider Blanche’s monologue about her past.
Hint
- Annotate with technique–effect–purpose in mind.
- Think beyond just what happens: How does the author shape meaning through choices?
Step 4: Identify Key Ideas for Wide Analysis
- Your wide analysis looks at how the global issue is developed across the entire text. This includes:
- Character arcs, structural developments, themes, or recurring motifs.
- Authorial critiques of society, power, gender, justice, etc.
Example
- In Persepolis, Satrapi uses visual symbols (e.g. the veil, fragmented panels) throughout to explore repression.
- In The Crucible, Miller uses groupthink and hysteria as recurring motifs to show how fear overrides ethics.
Hint
- Choose one or two key ideas for each work.
- You don’t need to summarize the whole text, just zoom in on what best supports your global issue.
Step 5: Choose a Structure
Choose between two effective options:
Structure 1: Blocked
- Intro
- Text 1: Close → Wide
- Close
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Wide
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Close
- Text 2: Close → Wide
- Close
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Wide
- Point 1
- Point 2
- Close
- Conclusion
Example
- Intro
- Text 1: A Doll’s House
- Close:
- Point 1: Nora called a “little skylark”
- Point 2: Symbolic language reduces her to a pet; identity shaped by male gaze
- Wide:
- Point 1: Social context of 19th-century gender roles
- Point 2:Marriage portrayed as economic and symbolic transaction
- Close:
- Text 2: Vogue Cover
- Close:
- Point 1: Airbrushed image + luxurious styling
- Point 2: Visual codes suggest beauty = worth, identity = image
- Wide:
- Point 1: Broader trend of celebrity branding
- Point 2: Media pushes idealised femininity, encouraging self-objectification
- Close:
- Conclusion
Hint
Use when the two texts have distinct approaches or when your ideas are better developed separately.
Structure 2: Integrated
- Intro
- Thematic Point A: Text 1 (Close + Wide), Text 2 (Close + Wide)
- Thematic Point B: Text 1 (Close + Wide), Text 2 (Close + Wide)
- Conclusion
Example
- Intro
- Thematic Point A: Surveillance suppresses thought and autonomy
- Text 1 (Close + Wide):
- Close: Telescreens force constant self-censorship
- Wide: Orwell presents a totalitarian system where independent thought is criminalized
- Text 2 (Close + Wide):
- Close: Identical, emotionless workers watched by Big Brother
- Wide: Apple critiques corporate and technological conformity that discourages critical thinking
- Text 1 (Close + Wide):
- Thematic Point B: Rebellion as an act of reclaiming identity
- Text 1 (Close + Wide):
- Close: Winston’s diary as a form of inner rebellion
- Wide: Suggests that even private resistance is a political act against oppressive regimes
- Text 2 (Close + Wide):
- Close: Woman shattering the screen disrupts control
- Wide: Rebellion becomes symbolic liberation from groupthink and control
- Text 1 (Close + Wide):
- Thematic Point A: Surveillance suppresses thought and autonomy
- Conclusion
Note
Use when the texts mirror or contrast each other closely, and you want a more flowing, interconnected style.
Hint
- Stick to one structure and practise it repeatedly.
- Avoid switching halfway.
- Ensure time is split fairly evenly between the two texts (50-50 or 60-40 max).
Step 6: Write a Clear Introduction
- In 60–90 seconds, you should:
- State your global issue clearly and precisely.
- Introduce the two works and authors.
- Briefly describe the extracts and how they connect to the global issue.
- End with a concise thesis or guiding statement.
Example
“This IO explores the global issue of female oppression through silencing, as depicted in Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House and Khaled Hosseini’s A Thousand Splendid Suns. The extracts...”
Step 7: Plan Your Body Paragraphs (Close and Wide Analysis)
Close Analysis
- Focus on the specific extract.
- Analyze literary/stylistic techniques: metaphor, tone, dialogue, visual symbolism, etc.
- Link every point back to the global issue.
Example
“The repetition of ‘I must’ in Nora’s final speech emphasises her growing agency as she defies gender roles...”
Wide Analysis
- Discuss how the global issue is developed across the full text.
- No need to quote line-by-line, focus on patterns, themes, or arcs.
Hint
- Always connect wide points back to the author’s intention.
- Ask: What are they revealing or criticising about society or human nature?
Step 8: Conclude with Purpose
- Your conclusion should:
- Reinforce your thesis (don’t introduce new arguments).
- Show how both authors illuminate the global issue.
- Reflect briefly on the wider implications of what you’ve explored.
Example
"Both Ibsen and Hosseini present female silencing not just as personal tragedy, but as a societal failure that sustains inequality.”
Hint
- Think of the conclusion as your opportunity to leave the examiner with a final insight.
- Be confident and reflective.
Step 9: Your Structured IO Plan
Example
Sample Structured IO Plan
- Global Issue:
- The marginalisation of women’s voices in patriarchal societies
- Texts and Extracts:
- A Doll’s House (Henrik Ibsen) – Nora’s confrontation scene (Act 3)
- The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood) – Inner monologue from Chapter 23
- Introduction
- Define the global issue
- Introduce both texts and contexts
- State thesis: Both authors present women’s marginalisation, but Ibsen focuses on rebellion within a traditional society, while Atwood explores internalised oppression in a dystopian regime.
- Body Paragraph 1: Loss of Identity Through Control
- Ibsen (Close): Nora’s infantilisation through pet names (“little squirrel”)
- Ibsen (Wide): Structural contrast between the dollhouse metaphor and her awakening
- Atwood (Close): Offred’s fragmented speech and passive tone in the extract
- Atwood (Wide): Use of the Eyes, Aunt Lydia’s rhetoric reveals total control of voice and narrative
- Link to global issue: Women's identity and voice controlled by male-dominated systems
- Body Paragraph 2: Language as a Weapon
- Ibsen (Close): Formal vs. emotional tone shifts in Nora’s speech
- Ibsen (Wide): Krogstad and Torvald as legal gatekeepers to women’s freedom
- Atwood (Close): Repetition of “we were the people who…” ironic tone
- Atwood (Wide): Latin phrase “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” as symbolic resistance
- Link to global issue: Language either erases or reclaims women’s voice
- Body Paragraph 3: Resistance and Its Limitations
- Ibsen (Close): Nora’s line “I must stand quite alone…” assertion of self
- Ibsen (Wide): Ending of the play as hopeful rupture
- Atwood (Close): Offred’s internal voice as her only form of defiance
- Atwood (Wide): Ambiguous ending undermines full liberation
- Link to global issue: Resistance is portrayed with different consequences; Nora escapes; Offred remains trapped in ambiguity
- Conclusion
- Reaffirm thesis
- Recap how each author uses literary technique to explore the issue
- Final reflection: While both works highlight the silencing of women, they differ in tone, Ibsen hopeful, Atwood cautionary, yet both ultimately urge awareness of how systems erase or distort women’s voices.
Step 10: Rehearse with a Timer
- Practise out loud multiple times.
- Aim for 9:45–10:00 minutes.
- Use cue cards, not a script.
- Practice transitions between points and texts.
- Record yourself and listen for clarity, pacing, and coherence.
Hint
- Practise with a friend or teacher.
- If you’re stumbling, it likely means a point needs rephrasing or simplifying.
Step 11: Prepare for the Teacher's Questions
- After your 10-minute presentation, your teacher will ask 5 minutes of follow-up questions.
- They may ask you to:
- Clarify your argument or global issue.
- Comment on another moment in the text.
- Justify an authorial choice.
- Compare the authors’ messages more explicitly.
Hint
- Know your texts beyond your extract.
- Be ready to talk about character arcs, themes, or historical context.
- Confidence here boosts your Criterion A (Knowledge, Understanding and Interpretation) and Criterion B marks (Analysis and Evaluation).
